Trickster's Spy
by seabiscuit0810
Summary: This is the untold story of what happens between Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen...Aly has to deal with another spy, rebellious raka, and a little romance on the side. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

(A/N I decided to start this story on a whim, because I don't think there are enough Aly stories, and she's one of my favorite characters. It is going somewhere, and I have it planned out, and partly written, so just bear with me here...)

_If the Duke is to be buried on Wednesday, and we are going to Pohon on Thursday, when does her Grace expect me to report to her?_ Aly wondered as she sat beside a fire, listening to the raka conspiracy reminisce about Lokeji. _It's not as if I see her everyday!_ You're too tired for this, her mind replied. Take a break from being a spy and be a normal servant for once. _But I don't want to be normal_ she argued with herself, _I want to be me, and to do what I want, to be different._

"You are different, my dear, that's why YOU are the one I chose, and not, for example, your brother Alan" a voice said, startling everyone around the fire. Cries of "Who's there?" and "Show yourself!" resounded through the silent night as the raka grabbed weapons lying nearby and armed themselves.

"Shh, it's alright" Aly said, making motions with her hands to quiet everyone. She got up and walked around the stable buildings, reassuring others as she passed that it wasn't the enemy who'd called out, and the gods were still in their favor. _If they ever were in our favor, anyway._ She walked up to a lean, wiry man with a short beard, dressed as the raka did in a sarong. "What do you want, messing around like that and scaring them all out of their wits?" Aly hissed at the man, now revealed to be her patron god, Kyprioth, upon closer inspection.

"I was merely replying to a thought that I felt was worth replying to" he idly said, turning a ring around and around his finger. _What does fiddling with things mean? I'm so out of practice with reading complex people, there aren't enough people here that are as complex as, say, Da._

"Well, don't do it! My thoughts are private, and mine alone!" Aly savagely said, turning away to walk back to the fire, where there was food, and the chills of night on Lombyn weren't so obvious.

"Darling, with me as your patron, you are never alone" Kyprioth smoothly said, still twisting his ring. _What does it mean?_

Aly remembered. "You're nervous about something, and probably scared because of the same thing" she accused. "What is it?"

"A trickster doesn't give up his secrets easily, but yes, I am nervous about something: you."

"Why would you be nervous about me? I just have to sit here and play the pretty servant girl until spring, when I really have to get to work" she said, fidgeting around so her sarong showed a little more skin than was necessary.

"Stop that" Kyprioth ordered, reaching toward her and pulling up the sarong to a level that was more decent. "If you don't want anyone to kill you before spring, you'll…." he drifted off, looking thoughtful. "You'll have to work harder to blend in."

"Fat chance of that!" Aly said, readjusting the sarong again. "Now why are you nervous?"

"You make me nervous, little one" Kyprioth said, pulling her sarong up again, then disappearing. _What was that about? _Aly walked back to the fire, and was pleased to see that Nawat had joined the gathered members.  
"Aly!" Chenaol said, patting her on the back as she sat down. "Glad to see you came back from your tryst unscathed!" She handed Aly a jar of water, knowing that the girl would just throw any arak back at her.

"Tryst?" Aly said, after a moment. "I haven't met with anyone in that way since before I left home." She drank deeply from the jar of water, than stood up. "If that is all you wish to ask of me, I believe I will go to sleep."

"Aly, girl, we all know that you know that we had a reason for meeting tonight. You sneaking off with a lover was not part of it" Fesgao wryly said.

"I did not sneak off with a lover! I have no lover!" Aly said, annoyed.

"Then what were the noises we heard coming from the side of stable?" Junai asked, grinning. She didn't often sit in on these gatherings, but she usually had a knack for picking days that had interesting discussions.

"What noise…." Aly trailed off. _KYPRIOTH! _She silently screamed. _What did you do to their ears?_

He, of course, didn't reply. _Gods! They think they can do whatever they want!_ "You were just hearing things."

"Are you sure we were just hearing things?" Chenaol said, grinning. Behind her, Nawat listened closely, as if this were an important discussion about the conspiracy.

"Positive."

(A/N So, was it any good? Kind of short, I know. I'm a really bad judge of my own stories, so...please review!)


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N. So, I had this a few weeks ago...ok, a month ago, and forgot that I wrote it. So sorry. I would reply to the reviews, but I'm not sure if we're allowed to do that anymore, so thanks to everyone who reviewed, and _hint hint_ more reviews would make me less likely to forget about this story, so...**

**And I might revise this, if the mood fits me. Tell me if you think it needs to be completely redone, and I'll try to do it, if I agree with it.**

Aly rose with the sun, and joined the rest of the household for breakfast in the hall. She slid into her seat beside Nawat and began to eat, picking out all the spicy bits in the food. _I will never understand how these people can eat all this fiery food, especially for breakfast._ Aly kept thinking along these lines until her thoughts were interrupted by several of the raka conspiracy.

"So, Aly girl, who were you with last night?" Fesgao questioned, hoping for once to catch her off guard, in the off-chance that she might actually answer the question.

"Huh? Nobody" Aly said, stifling a yawn. She'd been up late the night before, plotting to make Tanair safer for the ladies over the winter. "I'm serious, there was nobody with me last night" she stated, seeing the doubtful looks on their faces. She ate a spoonful of food that seemed free of spicy bits.

"Sure Aly…sure" Fesgao said.

"Give it up you two. We have more pressing things to deal with, like the group of raka in Pohon that don't seem to realize that the rebellion is really going to happen this time. We need their support to help feed and house any of our trainees that turn up over the winter, Tanair doesn't have enough room for them all" Ulasim said, throwing a piece of bread at Aly and Fesgao.

Fesgao got up and stretched. "I will see all of you later. You know, work to do and stuff." He leaned down toward Aly and whispered "I know you were with someone! The question would be who? And I'm going to find out, whether you like it or not." Walking out of the hall, he turned and gave a mocking salute to the conspiracy leaders.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I have work to do" Aly said, standing up and discarding her dishes. Walking out of the hall, Duchess Winnamine stopped her.

"Aly, don't forget to find someone to take the goats for you today. I have a feeling you are working on something for the God, aren't you?"

"Um, yes, sure, you know what? I think I'll go get started on that…" Aly darted away, running around the corner and suddenly feeling like she'd ran straight into a brick wall. "OW!"

"I am so sorry" a smooth voice said. A hand reached Aly's way and she grasped it, pulling herself up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, are you okay?" Aly asked, brushing herself off. She then made the mistake of looking into his face. He was tall, a raka with brown hair, blue-green eyes, and dark chocolate brown skin.

"I am perfectly well, thank you. I don't think we've met before. I'm Alec Branson. And you are?" he said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"I am, um, Aly. Aly Homewood." Aly stammered, blushing.

"Well, Aly Homewood, it's been a pleasure running into you" Alec said, pausing a moment and looking at her. He then bent down a little and kissed Aly on the lips. Alec then walked away. Aly stood there, then fingered her lips, tracing them with her pointer finger. _That is what I would normally do. I'm not the type of person who that would happen to!_ She considered a moment, then hurried after Alec.

"Hey" she said, rounding another corner and coming up behind him. He turned around. Aly reached up, pulled his chin down and gave him a look. "I don't controlling men."

"Really? I had the impression that you had too many responsibilities, and wanted someone to take care of some of them" Alec said, looking down at Aly.

"Oh, I don't feel like I need any help with my responsibilities." Aly appraised him, then kissed him on the lips. "Bye now" she said, wiggling her fingers and walking away.

Around the corner, Alec grinned. Everything was going according to the plan his townspeople had set up. Aly had certainly seemed, well, attracted to him. He had to get her more than attracted to him if their plan was to succeed. He had to get her to like him.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Your Grace, I don't see how I'm to find time to report to you if we're at His Grace's funeral for the rest of the day today" Aly said, helping the duchess into her black silk gown. She straightened it, then buttoned up the back. "There just aren't enough hours in the day."

"Aly, report now, if you're so eager to" Winnamine said. She sat down and pulled on a shoe. "Pass me my other shoe, will you?"

Aly complied, handing her the shoe and admitted "Well, I don't really have anything to report right now."

"Then why are you so anxious to report to me?"

"I think after the funeral I will have some more information from someone. I can't see them before then, or it'd seem suspicious." She handed Winna a brush, and looked around for some hairpins. Finding them, Aly placed them on the dressing table in front of her.

"Your Grace, I suppose I should go now, and help get ready for the funeral" Aly said, crossing the room to the door, and looking at Winnamine for permission. The Duchess nodded her approval, and Aly walked out of the room, breaking into a jog once she was sure there was no one around.

"Mysterious Aly" Fesgao said. "Aren't you supposed to be readying the ladies for the funeral?"

"I'm doing that already" Aly replied, slowing to talk to him. "See?" She dug in her sash, and pulled out some hairpins. "I've got everything I need right now in my hands." Grinning, she cast a sideways glance at Fesgao. "Unless you'd like to help the ladies get ready, I suggest you let me pass." When he made no move to change position, she sighed, and walked past him, pushing him out of the way a little. "I'd go tell them to ready the horses, the ladies will be ready soon" Aly called over her shoulder. She continued down the hall, and knocked on a door. "Lady Dove?"

"Yes?" Dove said, opening the door. "Oh, Aly, I'm almost ready, I just stopped when I couldn't button up the back of the dress, and then I picked up the book, and then I started reading, and then…" she trailed off as Aly took her firmly by the shoulders and steered her to a chair.

"Lady, I don't feel like dealing with this now."

"Since when have I been 'Lady' to you?"

"Since I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today" Aly muttered, jabbing a pin into Dove's hair.

"Ouch!" Dove recoiled, pulling back and turning around. "What's got into you today?"

Aly didn't reply, just grabbed a brush and began working through the tangle.

**Review...and I shall give you a bagel! Hahaha, bagels. Have never used that one before...I like chocolate chip bagels the best...yum. Review please!**


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